According Chipzilla, upcoming BIOS updates for motherboards will address a known issue, although the primary cause of the crashes remains unidentified.
The Core i9 14900K, known for its high performance in multi-threaded tasks and speed, is currently Intel's top gaming CPU. However, users have reported frequent crashes, particularly with Unreal engine games. Intel’s response to this issue has been delayed, as they had initially promised an update in May 2024.
Intel has acknowledged a flaw in the Enhanced Thermal Velocity Boost (eTVB) algorithm and is working with motherboard manufacturers to release BIOS updates by July 19, 2024, to address this. It also recommended that LGA1700 motherboards adhere to specific power and thermal settings to prevent overheating.
These settings are more conservative than the original default settings and may reduce performance:
Intel’s suggested settings for stability:
- Core i5 13600K/KF and 14600K/KF
- Core i5 13700K/KF and 14700K/KF
- Core i5 13900K/KF and 14900K/KF
- Core i5 13900KS and 14600KS
Despite these measures, Intel has not pinpointed the exact cause of the stability issues. They have stated that the eTVB bug is not the sole cause of the problems and have not provided a timeline for a complete resolution.
Intel’s current 14th-generation Raptor Lake CPUs remain its best gaming option, with new Arrow Lake desktop CPUs expected to be released by the end of the year.
Those considering a new gaming CPU purchase, the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D may be a better choice, as it offers superior performance in most game tests at a lower cost.